Misplaced Allegiances

For the past week, I have been writing an essay about pro-Israeli lobbyists in Washington, and the influence they exert on American foreign policy. I have scoured over countless websites and research papers, all of which describe how the US has pumped money, arms and defense technologies into Israel since 1967, despite the fact that American interests diverge from Israeli ones. Why is the United States risking its reputation, and effectively alienating virtually all Arab nations in the Middle East, for the sake of appeasing Israel? And how have a few lobby groups been able to get a strangle-hold on both American domestic and foreign politics and in doing so, get away virtually unharmed, unquestioned and unfazed?

These are all questions I have attempted to answer in my paper; the paper I will be adding to this blog shortly. Instead, this post is here to delve into the fact that while I attempted to rationally and journalistically assess the situation, I couldn’t help but feel personally connected to Israel.

But why? I have never been to Israel. I don’t make a conscious effort to read up about Israel’s decisions and actions, unless of course they are shoved before my eyes by means of suicide bombing reports and announcements of war. My grandfather was from Austria while my grandmother was from Russia. I am clearly of European Jewish decent, and yet when I heard or read about someone vilifying Israelis, I couldn’t help but try to defend them. Defend my “people” in a sense, although they really aren’t my people to begin with.

I have come to the realization that my misplaced sense of allegiance to Israel can be greatly attributed to the fact that popular culture, the media, society or what have you dictates it as such. I am Jewish and therefore, I am pro-Israeli. That message is propagated today and has been propagated throughout history. Hell, it’s the message pro-Israeli lobbyists force down the throats of anyone susceptible enough to listen. And, believe me, it’s working.

Israel launches unfounded wars in neighboring Arab nations? Well, that’s just because if they didn’t, Iran and other Holocaust-denying countries would kill everyone and take all of Israel’s land. Israel receives an unfair amount of US aid, amounting for $2.52 billion in 2008 alone? Well, that’s necessary if Israel is to defend itself against the barbaric people living in Palestine.

Hmm… sounds a little one-sided? Well it’s the message that the most powerful nation in the world makes time and time again, if only for purely political reasons. No Presidential candidate can win in the US without the backing of the American Israel Public Awareness Council (AIPAC), the 100,000 strong pro-Israeli lobby group, or subsequently the Jewish vote in New York, Florida and California, among other important states.

Why else would almost every President in US history (since the first half of the 20th Century, at least), and both Democratic and Republican 2008 candidates Obama, Clinton, McCain, Huckabee… all agree on one thing: the US must remain allies with Israel. The power of the lobby is far too great, their influence runs far too deep in American domestic politics and to go against them would in essence be political suicide.

But as a Jewish person, I am insulted by the way the lobby has linked Judaism with blindly supporting Israel – for better or for worse. It presupposes that all Jews will turn a blind eye to any injustices propagated by Israelis, if only to strengthen a religious bond that truly should have very little hold on how individuals function, think and act.

When Catholics first heard about the sexual abuse that ran rampant through their Church, a sense of shame and anger must have taken shape. But, did these loyal Catholics march into the streets, preaching the fact that as Catholics, priests should be allowed to violate little boys? No. Albeit a crude comparison, why do Jews feel the need to march and yell in support of questionable Israeli military decisions, solely based on the fact that we all share the same religion?

As a Jewish person, I admit that I feel a connection to Israel. I am even defensive in the face of attacks and criticism against it. However, I am also a rational, free-thinking individual. And as such, I am beginning to realize that the only way to help Israelis, Americans, the Middle East and Jewish people as a whole is to objectively assess the situation and leave the religious aspect out of it. It sounds like a formidable task and a difficult one at that, and it is. But I’m trying. And at this point, that’s really all anyone can ask for.